(a) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a container basket which is detachably securable to the armrests of a wheelchair for use by handicapped people to support articles therein.
(b) Description of Prior Art
There does not exist any convenient container basket, of the "shopping cart type", adapted particularly for handicapped people confined to wheelchairs. The majority of these handicapped people presently utilize the conventional shopping cart baskets which are supported on casters and have to push such baskets in the same manner as a person who is not handicapped. Because such handicapped persons are sitting on a wheelchair, their reach is much more restricted than a normal person and it is difficult for such a person to place goods in a conventional shopping cart as the side walls of the cart may be higher than his armpits and often such handicapped person has to drop an article, such as foodstuff, into the basket risking the article to break and cause damage to other articles in the basket or to himself. Furthermore, it is difficult for handicapped persons to have good visual access to the articles already in the basket to determine if any articles intended to be purchased are missing or if certain articles have already been picked up.
A still further disadvantage presented to handicapped people confined to wheelchairs is that these shopping carts are difficult to manoeuver particularly when a person is sitting on a wheelchair. Because of these difficulties to which handicapped people are subjected to, the majority of them do not venture into places, such as shopping plazas, where shopping carts are used and require another person to do their purchases. Often, such people will deprive themselves of necessary good rather than venture into a department store or grocery store because of the problem of using shopping carts.